February 19th, 2015 by Doree

Washington Department of Transportation crews will be working on the future north portal of the State Route 99 tunnel and will need to close one lane in both directions of SR 99/Aurora Avenue North between Valley Street and the Aurora Bridge. The closures begin March 7 and will last about 12 weeks.

Two lanes will be open in each direction while crews install foundations for four large sign structures in the median and curb areas.

Phase 1 (approximately 8 weeks): one lane closed in both directions for median work — One lane in the northbound and southbound directions will be closed around-the-clock while crews install four sign foundations in the median

Phase 2 (approximately 4 weeks): one lane closed in southbound direction for curb work — One southbound lane will be closed around-the-clock while crews install two sign foundations in the southbound curb area

Because northbound and southbound buses will travel – and stop – in the outside lanes with other vehicle traffic, trips may take longer than normal. During both phases the southbound bus-only lane restriction will be lifted.

In an effort to balance the needs of drivers and residents, some work will occur during nighttime and weekend hours. An additional lane may close at night and during some weekend days.

The long-term lane closures are expected to cause additional backups on SR 99 for vehicles and buses, particularly during peak commute times. WSDOT is encouraging drivers and bus riders to:

Allow plenty of extra time and expect additional congestion, especially during peak commute times, on SR 99 between the Aurora Bridge and downtown.

If possible, consider leaving early, delaying your trip or telecommuting to avoid traveling during peak commute times in the morning and afternoon.

February 16th, 2015 by Doree

The Greenwood Community Council meets from 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N. The main topic on the agenda is a discussion about how much parking the city should require for new residential buildings.

A few years ago Seattle changed its development regulations to eliminate the requirement to provide parking in new multi-family buildings in areas defined as urban villages, or places with accessible and frequent transit service. Almost all of Greenwood fits that definition, and several micro-housing buildings are being built that will take advantage of that change by not including parking as part of the development.

There are advocates and strong feelings on both sides of this issue. Seattle’s previous parking requirements often required developers to include more parking than needed, raising the cost of living in new buildings and requiring residents who don’t own cars to help pay for their storage. Providing no parking at all takes advantage of unused public street space at no cost to the developer or tenant. When parking is scarce though, neighbors and their visitors have a harder time finding a place to park and need to walk farther to get groceries and kids to the car.

So what is the right amount of parking, and what should guide the city in deciding how much developers need to provide as part of their projects? The City Council has requested a review of parking requirement policies, and the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) is preparing its analysis. Gordon Clowers is leading the team that will respond to the council, and at our February meeting he will discuss some of the factors DPD will consider in forming their analysis.

October 7th, 2014 by Doree

If you’re heading downtown on Wednesday and Thursday, be prepared for congestion as Aurora Avenue will be restricted to one southbound lane so Seattle Department of Transportation can repair the pavement in the southbound lanes between North 40th and 41st streets. Work will take place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. both days, weather permitting.

August 19th, 2014 by Doree

Drivers should plan ahead for the four-day closure of a portion of State Route 99, including the Viaduct, beginning Friday night. This will create backups on I-5 and nearby streets, so be prepared for a longer commute time. Road crews will replace 81 damaged or cracked concrete panels, repair an expansion joint, and demolish and replace the section of SR 99 over Broad Street, which will become part of the permanent connection between the SR 99 tunnel’s north portal and a new surface street section of Aurora Avenue North.

At 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22, crews will close both directions of SR 99 between South Spokane Street and Valley Street. However, due to the Seahawks game, northbound SR 99 will remain open at South Royal Brougham way and southbound SR 99 will remain open from the Columbia Street on-ramp until midnight.

At 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 25, crews will reopen both directions of SR 99 south of the Battery Street Tunnel. Both directions of SR 99 will remain closed between the south end of the tunnel and Valley Street.

At 5 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27, crews will reopen both directions of SR 99 between the south end of the Battery Street Tunnel and Valley Street.

Metro Transit will reroute a number of buses, including the D Line through Ballard, and the 5 local and express, 28 express, and RapidRide E Line along Aurora Avenue. Check Metro’s Alerts page for more information.

August 7th, 2014 by Doree

Seattle Department of Transportation crews were not able to complete overnight grinding work on Holman Road Northwest last night, so they will be doing it tonight. Work will happen between 9 p.m. tonight (Thursday) and 7 a.m. Friday.

The north side of Holman Road NW between NW 87th Street and 8th Avenue NW is closed for grinding and paving work, and traffic has been shifted to the south side of the road where one lane remains open in each direction. The lane closures and traffic reconfiguration will remain in place until Aug. 14.

Following completion of the north side of the roadway, on Aug. 14 the south side of Holman Road NW will then be closed for grinding and paving between Northwest 87th Street and Eighth Avenue Northwest. Traffic will be shifted to the north side of the roadway with one lane open in each direction until Friday, Aug. 22, when paving on the south side will be complete.

Residents are advised that nighttime work is scheduled to take place between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. on Aug. 7, 13, 14 and 21. Paving work is weather dependent and scheduled dates are subject to change. In addition to this night work, crews will continue sidewalk and median work on Aug. 9 and 16, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Local bus access will be maintained for King County Metro’s Route 28 and RapidRide D Line. For information on bus service, look for Rider Alert notices at bus stops, visit Metro Online at http://metro.kingcounty.gov/alerts/, or call (206) 553-3000.

July 31st, 2014 by Doree

Seattle Department of Transportation crews will close the north side of Holman Road NW between NW 87th Street and 8th Avenue NW beginning at 7 p.m. next Wednesday, Aug. 6, at 7 p.m. for grinding and paving work (weather permitting). Traffic will be shifted to the south side of the road where one lane will remain open in each direction. The lane closures and traffic reconfiguration will remain in place until Aug. 14.

Following completion of the north side of the roadway, on Aug. 14 the south side of Holman Road NW will then be closed for grinding and paving between Northwest 87th Street and Eighth Avenue Northwest. Traffic will be shifted to the north side of the roadway with one lane open in each direction until Friday, Aug. 22, when paving on the south side will be complete.

Residents are advised that nighttime work is scheduled to take place between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. on Aug. 6, 13, 14 and 21. Paving work is weather dependent and scheduled dates are subject to change. In addition to this night work, crews will continue sidewalk and median work on Aug. 9 and 16, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Local bus access will be maintained for King County Metro’s Route 28 and RapidRide D Line. For information on bus service, look for Rider Alert notices at bus stops, visit Metro Online at http://metro.kingcounty.gov/alerts/, or call (206) 553-3000.

June 9th, 2014 by Doree

The Northwest Design Review Board will view updated design information and give its recommendation on the proposed development at 6800 Greenwood Ave. N. at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 23, at the Ballard Community Center, 6020 28th Ave NW.

Developers have applied to build a four-story building with 32 residential units, 4,000 square feet of commercial space and underground parking for 28 vehicles. The site is currently an empty lot.

Written comments about the design of the project will be accepted through June 23. You can email them to PRC@seattle.gov or write to: City of Seattle – DPD – PRC, 700 5th Avenue, Suite 2000, PO Box 34019, Seattle, WA 98124-4019.

May 13th, 2014 by Doree

Seattle Department of Transportation crews have closed the entry road into Carkeek Park again today to finish repaving work. The road should reopen by 5 p.m.

Bicycle and pedestrian access will be curtailed on the entry road on May 13th but unpaved trails into and through the park will be open as usual.

The repaving of NW Carkeek Park Road is part of a larger repaving project by SDOT in the immediate surrounding neighborhood, including 8th Ave. NW, NW 114th Pl., NW 116th St., 6th Ave. NW and NW 117th St.

The repaving project is expected to be completed over a period of two weeks beginning May 6, 2014 and ending on Friday, May 16th. Typical working hours are between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

April 30th, 2014 by Doree

If you’re heading downtown on Thursday, be aware that buses may be rerouted and traffic will likely be delayed due to May Day events. Some city streets are scheduled to be closed as hundreds of people are expected to march from Judkins Park to Westlake Park. Seattle Police will escort the marchers. Fourth Avenue will be closed between 3:30-4:30 p.m. and Pine Street will be closed between 3-7 p.m.